Act of Valor
by beckettlovescastlealways
Summary: Modern AU When Elsa and Anna's parents are killed just before Elsa graduates high school, Elsa puts her life on hold and joins the US Army to be able to support her sister, two years later, the sisters must deal with the fallout of that decision. But the mind is a powerful thing, will they be able to come out of this in (mostly) one piece?
1. Chapter 1

A/N~~~ so I don't know if I'm going to leave this as a one shot or continue, it really depends on what you guys think. So, please review, follow, favorite, ect.

* * *

 ** _I learn what I know_**  
 ** _But I was born this way_**  
 ** _More of a number_**  
 ** _And less of a name_**  
 ** _I talk a little too quiet_**  
 ** _And not enough they say_**  
 ** _I only tell my secrets_**  
 ** _When it's time to pray_**  
 ** _You wouldn't see the war just lookin' from the outside_**  
 ** _I've got red dirt blood here runnin on the inside_**  
 ** _Sink or swim, live or die_**  
 ** _A saving grace and a blue sky_**  
 ** _All alone, and unafraid_**  
 ** _It's never just another day_**  
 ** _And you don't back down or walk away_**  
 ** _But I know, I do, I am_**  
 ** _What it takes_**  
 ** _What it takes_**  
 ** _Wash away my footprints_**  
 ** _With the undertow_**  
 ** _While I'll walk the wire, of the great unknown_**  
 ** _I got two parts too_**  
 ** _My storied soul_**  
 ** _One stands with my brothers, one waits for me back at home_**

* * *

 _The harsh Iraqi sand bites into the skin on my face as I walk around the Humvee, as I get in the back, I give a minute smile to Belle as Mulan and Merida get in the front, Mulan is going to be driving this run of supplies from Najaf to Bagdad, there's one other Humvee in our convoy, the main road is cut off, an IED had taken out so much of the road that we couldn't get through, so we were going down a back road._

 _The first half of the drive was almost silent, it's moments like this that I can't help but bring my hand to the crumpled letter and folded picture that's always in my pocket, the reason I'm over here instead of in collage getting my degree, she deserves better._

 _I'm thrown, literally, from my musings by a **pop** and smoke on mine and Mulan's side for a split second before the Humvee is flipped onto the right side. I don't hear anything but ringing, I taste and feel metallic, sticky blood flowing on my shoulder and face and in my mouth and feel a searing pain in my left arm, when I look down at my arm, I see red, and maybe a bit of white, before the pain is too much and I lose consciousness._

My eyes snap open. I'm panting, my heart is slamming into my chest. I attempt to push myself up, but my left side drops down, I look over and am shocked for the umpteenth time to see a stump instead of my arm.

 _'Dammit, Elsa, it's been three months, you got off lucky, you're home, Anna's right down the hall, you're fine, you should be over this. You have to get over this.'_ I remind myself before sitting up, gently taking my hand and tracing the jagged. scar on the stump that stopped halfway to where my elbow should be, **bang** I grab the pocket knife from the bedside table and drop to the ground, crawling to the corner.

 _Gunfire, one bullet after another "Arendelle, get down." Merida orders, I feel Belle pull on an arm that's not there, as I get ready to fight again, my entire body tense_

 _"We need to get out of here!" Mulan yells over the gunshots_

Footsteps. Then there's light and someone touching my arm "Elsa…Elsa…you're home…you're safe, you're with me… a car just backfired… you're home, Elsa…You're in your bedroom…"

"Anna?" I croak out a single tear escaping as I quickly drop the knife

"Yeah, it's me." She says, as I carefully bring my hand up, proving that she's here "Are you okay to get up?" She asks as my breathing evens out

I nod, pushing myself up, as I sit back on the bed I speak "I'm sorry, Anna."

"Don't apologize, I want to help, I wish I could do more." She says, brushing a few of my unruly bangs out of my face

"You're 17. You are still in high school. This burden shouldn't be on you. Plus I'm you're older sister, I should be protecting you, you shouldn't be reminding me that I'm not halfway around the world."

"You were 18 when you left, you're barely 20, this shouldn't be something you have to deal with either. You aren't a burden to me. Plus you've been protecting me since I was born, especially since mama and papa… now it's my turn, let me help." She argues back pushing me to lay down, sitting on the edge of the bed "I love you, Elsa." She says before standing "are you okay if I leave?" She asks carefully

I nod again, as she turns to leave, I see the tears on her face.

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Two years ago

"Here, let me help." I say to the girl struggling with her bag

"Be my guest." She says handing it to me, I pick it up easily "You're Elsa Arendelle, aren't you?" She asks after a moment

"Yep." I say popping the p

"Esmeralda." She says putting her hand out for me to shake "I've been meaning to introduce myself to you or your sister, to offer my condolences. I'm sorry about your parents."

I plaster on a smile "Thank you, we miss them."

"You're graduating next month, aren't you valedictorian?"

I nod slowly

"Where are you going? After here, I mean."

"I was going to go to Harvard. As you know, things have changed, I need to provide for Anna. I report to Ft. Benning two weeks after I graduate here."

"That's pretty brave."

"I don't have many other options." I respond "This your class?" I motion to the room we're at, she nods so I carefully hand her her bag before going to my first class "See you around."

The rest of the day passed relatively quiet, now it was 20 days until I leave "Anna!" I drop my bag on the hook by the door "Are you home?"

"In my room!" She yells from up the stairs, as I get further up the creaking stair case I hear her music blasting

"Kristoff give you a ride?" I say from the door way

"Yeah."

"Have you started packing?"

She shakes her head

"Anna…"

"I know, I need pack up what I'll need at least until school starts again, you're stuff and whatever we want to keep from mama and papa go in the storage units for, god willing, eighteen months."

"Anna."

"I'm right though, aren't I, you could not come back. We've already lost mama and papa, I can't lose you too."

"Anna," I repeat for the third time

"I know, you tell me not to worry and that I'll be fine at Aunt Helena and Uncle Aaron. I hate this! You shouldn't have to do this, you should be going to Harvard, not Bagdad. It's that fucking moron's fault, he was the one who was drunk driving, why does this family have to pay." Her tears start to cover her face "It's not fair!"

"Hey, Anna, I'm going to come back to you. I promise. I'm going to be in a unit with Belle, we will protect each other and comeback here. And you know we need this, otherwise…" pulling her into a gentle hug

"I'm going into the states care or Aunt Hel's care. I know, that doesn't mean I have to like it."

"I don't like it either."

"Then don't go."

"I have to."

"Then come back."

"I will." I wipe my eyes as I pull back from the hug and wipe hers as well "Just, trust me, I'll be back before you know it."


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow, I'm shocked how many of you like this story, I'm going to continue it, my goal is that i finish the approximately 24 chapters before school begins again, that means I have about nine weeks, we shall see if I can compleat this goal. I will also attempt to work on my other stories. Wish me luck.**

* * *

 **I've been home about six months now**

 **And I still have my doubts**

 **I'm not sure how I got here**

 **Or how I'm gonna get out**

 **My Mama says I look the same**

 **As I did before I left**

 **But if she could see inside of me**

 **It would scare her to death**

 **I can still taste the powder**

 **From the barrel of my gun**

 **I can hear my Sergeant screaming,**

 **"Run, Soldier, run."**

 **I can feel the backpack on my shoulders**

 **God, it weighed a ton**

 **I see death in every single thought**

 **They taught me how to put that uniform on**

 **I just can't get it off**

 **Last Saturday they honored us**

 **In a small parade downtown**

 **When they shot off those fireworks**

 **I nearly hit the ground**

 **While they smiled and cheered for us**

 **All I could do was stare**

 **Cuz part of me is here at home**

 **And part of me's back there**

* * *

 **Dear** **Merida,**

 **I'm writing this because Dr. Austin says "It'll be good to get what I'm not telling her out." Her words, I think it's a fucking load of bull crap, but I guess I should, just so Anna** **sees** **I'm trying.**

 **Why you? I suppose you're wondering, we** **ll should she have me read this crap to whoever I'm writing to, I won't see your reaction, if she pushes, I'll leave it at your stone.**

 **Every time I close my eyes I'm back over in that damned hell hole, and you and Mulan are hurt and me and Belle are pinned or hurt to. Or we're in the car on that stupid run and then the cars on its side, and me and Mulan are hanging on our sides and you and Belle are unconscious.**

 **Aunt Helen and Punzie and even Uncle Aaron all think I'm fine, Anna would too if she didn't have to wake up fucking nightly from my nightmares.**

 **Last night's was bad, it was that day of our first kill, do you remember? He was 24 and had a kid at home, he also left me with a bullet in my good arm and Belle with a limp, it's even more obvious now, she can't even attempt to hide it now, that explosive caused a ton of internal damage, she was in so much pain that they actually didn't realize on of her ribs had snapped until around six week after we were hurt.**

 **Mulan was fitted for prosthetic legs this past week, knowing her she'll be trying to run marathons within the next six months. I think her and Shang may move to town soon, he has friends here and me and Belle are here for her.**

 **I need to get over these nightmares, I lost an arm, could've been worse, I almost lost my legs too, I got lucky that they could repair them.**

 **I'm home now, why do I still feel like I'm over there, it's like my brain is split, one part here, with Anna and the rest of my friends and family, and the other part I must've left in Iraq.**

 **I'm alive, that's more then they could say for a lot of the people they sent over there, that's more than I can say for you.**

 **Well, that's more then I thought I'd write, they can't say I didn't give them anything.**

 **Signing out, Elsa**

I slam the leather bound book shut before putting it on my bedside table before standing up and leaving my room "Going on a run!" I grab my phone and keys as I yell, leaving the house before I even get a response.

Putting my headphones in I quickly fall into beat and start running, not stoping or slowing down until my entire body is begging me to.

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Two years ago

"Ready?" My aunt asks peaking into my room

"Almost." I say pulling at my royal purple robe again before putting my stole and honor cord and allowing her to even them both out before putting on shoes and brushing a couple bangs out of my face "Now I am."

Two weeks later I finish putting the last few items in my duffle bag when Rapunzel comes in "Are you ready to go?" She says not able to totally keep the sadness out of her voice

"Nearly," I look at the room I had spent the last 18 years in, the walls now bare, the room empty save for my duffle bag and my bed, I run my hand over the wall before nodding and pulling the bag onto my shoulder.

Walking through the nearly empty house, it's hard to believe this is the same house that just a few months ago held so much laughter and life.

When I get down they're all waiting for me, my aunt is the first to approach me, fixing my already in place hair before hugging me and whispering in my ear "They'd be so proud of you." Before pulling back, her eyes shiny

Repunzle goes next "Good luck, come back."

My uncle and Anna are coming with me to the airport

When we get there I turn to my uncle first, "See ya soon, kid." He says giving me a small hug "You'll do great."

"I hope so." He then takes a few steps away from us I turn to my sister "I'll call you as soon as I can, when I get there." I offer

"I'll be waiting until I hear from you."

"Behave. Be brave, I'll be home before you know it." We both know I'm lying "Can you hold on to something for me?" I reach for the thin chain around my neck, carefully placing it in her hand

"They're rings! But what if I lose them?"

"You won't. Knowing you, you'll never take them off." I say with a watery laugh, I look up at the giant clock in the lobby "I need to go." I kiss her cheek and giving her a hug, which she leans into, before stepping back "I'll see you soon. I love you, Anna." Before I begin to walk away

"I love you too, Elsa." I hear just before I get to the security counter, I know they'll stay till my plane leaves, and I'll probably be back here in less then two years but I can't help but feeling that I'm leaving my home for the last time.


	3. Chapter 3

Sweat keeps my shirt firmly attached to my back as I finish the last of the physical training for the day, the muggy Georgian weather not helping the already hard PT. Now we had the rest of the day to do whatever, as long as no one screws up.

They have us in three rooms, two for the men and one for the women, we had the smaller room as there was only 12 of us left, we started with 18 but the rest weren't able to make the cut after the first few weeks. The boys had about 50 in each of the rooms.

Our beds were set up into two rows of six, the heads are all pushed against the wall. I'm in the cornor furthest from the door. "Hey." A slightly breathless voice says behind me

"Belle." I say with a smile "You okay?" As she sits on her bed and roles up her pants to reveal a nasty bruise from a part of the obstacle courses

She nods, "just wanted to get done, can you believe we're finally getting some free time and we can use the damned phone."

I agree with her, we've been here almost a month and almost immediately after they got us here they did a 'shake down' and took all outside items and put them in a vault, including out cell phones. I know at least Belle and me were expecting this, but it's still hard and more then a little annoying to not be able to do more then send a few letters for almost a month.

Looking at the clock on our wall I see that it's only eight back home and hopefully Anna's still asleep even with the probably hour plus lines, she hasn't been sleeping well for the past five months and I won't risk waking her up. "You go ahead, I'll try my luck after lunch."

"Fine, you stay in here and deal with Mulan."

I roll my eyes "I like Mulan, I don't know why you don't."

"She's just so… intense."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"No, it's just she's only a few years older than us, and she acts like…"

"Acts like what?"

"Well, you, to just about anyone who isn't Anna." She finishes "I don't get why you don't call her."

I get the feeling we're not talking about Mulan anymore "She's pissed at me, for leaving." I say, forcing myself not to bring my knees up to my chest, "She would barely talk to me the last week, not until just before I left. I don't know if I could deal with her not answering, or answering and still being mad." I confess her

"You know, in someways she's just like you, but others your as different as winter and summer, Elsa, you may hold grudges, but your sister doesn't, but she probably will be mad if you leave her in the dark short of a handful of letters for twelve weeks, especially when you don't have to." Belle argues nudging me "Call her."

"If I do, will you agree not to bring this up again?"

"Deal."

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My feet pound on the pavement in the neighborhood as I come to the last section, not slowing down even though my muscles are now crying out for me to do so. If I slow down, despite the cooler and more humid air, I start to think about over there, or about other unpleasant things.

I only start to slow when I enter the surprisingly empty house, if Anna's not home Aunt Helena or uncle Aaron have mysteriously found a reason to stop by or Rapunzel or Kristoff or Esmerelda want to talk, I'm pretty sure I've had a total of one hour without anyone nearby aNormally it's not bad, not good, I'm not particularly thrill about it, but not horrible.

I'm fine, I can get my own stuff. It's with that thought in mind that I decide to attempt to make something for lunch. I quickly realize that cutting is not an activity meant for one hand. After the first few attempts lead to the tomato slipping away from the knife, biting back a growl, I put the offending fruit and knife away and just grab a few of the snack bars from the cupboard. Realizing I have a few minutes at least before anyone comes home, I realize I should probably finish some of the exercises my physical therapy coach, Samantha Reese, had said to do to help the less major injury on my leg and keep what is left of my arm in shape for a prosthetic arm that I can just about guarantee I'm not going to get.

I quickly find it's easy enough, or should've been, lack of use had made my left arm stiff, as if it wasn't already bordering on useless. And the injuries on my leg is causing shocking amount if difficulty doing and thing that put weight on it long term.

Growing frustrated I march up to my room, not caring that the house shook when I closed my door, and again when my frustration gets the better of me and I attempt to put my good hand through the wall, thankfully not breaking it. Before I fall into bed.

And when he gets to heaven,

To St. Peter he will tell,

Another soldier reporting sir,

I've served my time in Hell.


End file.
